Agrona
A relatively unimportant planet, Agrona has managed to carve out a spot as the most influential settlement in the colonial sphere. Responsible for the outbreak of the civil war, as well as the formation of the ICSA, the planet has turned a colony of humble origins into a powerhouse on the political stage. General Information Population: '''230,000,000 '''Demonym: Agronnach Major Cities: Ayron, Aswan, Quetta History Founding Agrona was founded in 2132 as a dumping ground for the tide of refugees that were flooding western European nations on Earth, trying to escape from the conflicts that were erupting across the globe. Sent to Agrona with limited support, the first settlement of Ayron was established. Consisting of little more than prefab housing projects, the settlement at Ayron was quickly overwhelmed by the amount of refugees being sent to the colony. With only limited UCN support, the prefabricated housing projects are overwhelmed and tent cities are built clustered around the settlement. Ayron becomes a planetary refugee camp, with little purpose for anyone. Poverty and sickness run rampant as the colonists suffer from both the harsh planetary life and the neglect of the UCN. A third of all settlers die off within the first decade of settlement, although more arrive to fill their places. The lack of planning combined with the melting pot of cultures settling the colony provided for some heightened tensions amidst the camps and housing of Ayron. Conflicts were not uncommon and local militias often protected their cultural neighbourhoods. United Colonial Gas In 2141, tired of covering costs for Agrona, the UCN gives UCG a mandate to govern the colony, with UCG covering all the backing costs and in turn getting full share of any profits and full independence of the planet from the UCN. UCG leaps into the role of government, immediately setting up headquarters in Ayron and investing into the colony. Disarming the militias and establishing a paramilitary police force, order is restored to the increasingly lawless and fragmented Ayron. Over the next few years, UCG begins to turn the colony around. Expansion of residential housing and the creation of manufacturing plants allows the colony to begin to prosper properly. Beginning of Tensions The establishment of the UCA in 2149 by the UCN marked the first real conflict between Agrona and the Earth based government. By now, UCG had given the colony quite the boost, providing it with jobs and uniting it behind a single government. The independent mandate that UCG had been given allowed them room to create their own defence force, spawned from the police force that UCG had established in their early days. The ADF, or Agronnach Defence Force, provided the means to this end. While it did not act much beyond its own atmosphere to interdict smugglers or criminals, the ADF provided a growing rival to the UCA. In 2160, this jealousy came to a head as the UCA manufactured an incident to demand the confiscation of the ADF's naval arm. After UCGs refusal and a several day standoff, the ADF ultimately chose to scuttle their own fleet rather than hand it over to the UCA. Civil War With the ADF incident still fresh in the minds of many Agronnachs, it should be no surprise that the 2168 UCN demand for the dismantlement of the entire ADF was refused by the colony. Invading rather swiftly, the UCA overtook all settlements on Agrona within a matter of hours, facing only limited resistance from the ADF militias in skirmishes near strongholds. The next few years saw immense unrest on the planet, with riots and terrorist movements occuring frequently. In 2172, the first shots of the war broke out with the Massacre Day Assault. Taking back their planet over the course of several days, the Agronnachs were able to export their revolution across the Colonial Sphere. Rebuilding Having been united entirely behind the eradication of the UCN, Agrona was physically unharmed by the fighting. The planet contributed the most manpower to the war however, which was immensely felt at the end of hostilities. Agrona's position at the head of the rebellion gave it immense influence at the end of the war, resulting in Agrona being the main force behind the formation of the ICSA. Despite these advantages, the colony still suffers from some economic stagnation, at least compared to some of the other larger planets. Geography The surface of Agrona is windswept and barren, although not entirely devoid of life. Small outcrops of brush and tufts of grass break up the bleak landscape. Established almost as an afterthought in the sector, the settlers have managed to adapt to the many shortcomings the planet has provided them. Water extraction facilities provide the main lifeline for the colonies, pumping water up from vast aquifers to support habitation. Low-lying, prefabricated housing makes up most of the cities, though a move to more conventional urban development is making itself known. Culture Built on the backs of refugees struggling to survive the turmoil of Earth, the population of Agrona is quite varied. Rather than mixed, the populations followed ethnic lines to divide themselves, perpetuating grudges that would hold them back for the initial years of the colony's development. This division has diminished over the years, due to the hardship of the colony and the sense of identity the War gave the colony. Many of the older settlements still maintain a patchwork of different cultural neighbourhoods, though more out of tradition and not from tensions. The average Agronnach is characterized by a fierce confidence and a passionate, aggressive nature. Government The government of Agrona has remained steady throughout the development of the colony. Originally operating under an underfunded and incompetent UCN magistrate, the UCG quickly consolidated the colony when it landed on the planet. Expansion and reinvestment quickly helped the planet to grow into something viable, changing it from a dumping ground for refugees into a viable colonial holding. UCG has maintained its position over the years, and now fills practically every aspect of the settlers lives. You would be hard pressed to find an Agronnach who wanted to get rid of the UCG government.